Turquoise-browed Motmot

The Turquoise-browed Motmot is one of the most vividly patterned members of its family, with a bright turquoise-blue stripe above the eye, a black mask, and a greenish crown, set against warm cinnamon-orange underparts and greenish upperparts. The throat shows a small black spot bordered by turquoise, adding a further touch of color to an already striking combination.

Its long tail, tipped with two bare-shafted rackets, is often held out to the side and swung in a slow, deliberate pendulum motion while the bird perches on fence posts, wires, or low branches in dry, open woodland, a habit that, along with its brilliant colors, has made it a beloved and culturally significant bird across much of Central America, serving as the national bird of both El Salvador and Nicaragua.

Key field marks

• Bright turquoise-blue stripe above the eye and a black facial mask
• Cinnamon-orange underparts and green upperparts
• Long tail with prominent bare-shafted racket tips, often swung from side to side
• Small black throat spot bordered by turquoise

Similar species

• Blue-crowned Motmot has a fuller blue crown rather than just a brow stripe and typically inhabits more humid forest rather than dry, open habitat.
• No other motmot in its range shows the same combination of a bright turquoise brow and warm cinnamon underparts in dry woodland habitat.

Habitat

Inhabits dry tropical forest, scrub, forest edge, and semi-open country, often perching conspicuously on fences, wires, and low branches.

Range

Found from southeastern Mexico through Central America to Costa Rica.

Migration

Non-migratory and sedentary, remaining within a fixed territory year-round.

Behavior

Often perches conspicuously in the open, swinging its long racket-tipped tail slowly from side to side; typically solitary or in pairs, sallying out from a perch to catch prey.

Voice

A soft, low, croaking or grunting call, along with sharper notes given in alarm.

Feeding

Feeds on insects, small reptiles, and fruit, typically caught by sallying from a perch to the ground or nearby foliage.

Nesting

Excavates a nesting burrow in an earthen bank, road cut, or well or sinkhole wall; lays 3-4 white eggs.